Joliet Junior College gets $2 million in grants to fund honors college

An almost $2 million grant to Joliet Junior College in the form of a new honors initiative, including $850,000 dedicated to scholarships, will seek to transform the community college’s academic profile while rewarding classroom performance, JJC president Dr. Clyne Namuo said.

The Dr. Curtis J. and Mrs. Gina Crawford Honors College, a 3,000-square-foot area to reside within the JJC library, also will “offer a rigorous educational experience for academically exceptional students, featuring small class sizes, intensive research projects, study abroad opportunities, and more,” said Katie Smith, JJC communications and media manager.

Namuo said that the Crawford Honors College, “has the ability to neutralize the stigma of community colleges by addressing the needs of the district’s top academic performers. By supporting these high-achieving students, JJC spans the academic range and provides a solid foundation for their future.”

Although community colleges statewide, including JJC, have long fielded honors programs, the Crawford Honors College propels the Joliet-based school beyond previous standards.

“This landmark initiative positions JJC as a trailblazer, being among the first community colleges in the nation to establish an honors college,” according to a JJC news release.

Construction of Crawford Honors College space is set to begin in late 2024, and a grand opening is planned for fall of 2025.

Course offerings, while not yet finalized, could include English, communications, history, psychology, math, sociology and more, Smith said.

“Crawford Honors College courses will be interdisciplinary and applicable to students looking to complete an associate’s degree, career and technical education or general education,” Smith said.

Donor Curtis Crawford also said that the honor college will also serve to foster student leaders through their community college tenure.

“I believe the Crawford Honors College will be a foundation for supporting high-aspiration and high-performance students to accelerate their leadership skills,” Crawford said in an online JJC news release.

“When these students accelerate their leadership skills and experiences, they are more likely to become excellent performers, continue their education and personal development throughout their professional careers,” he said in the release.

The Crawfords are well-known local educational philanthropists, having donated to academic pursuits at DePaul University and Governors State University. Curtis Crawford was president and CEO of the consulting firm XCEO, Inc., and previously served in stints at Lucent Technologies, IBM and AT&T.

“Honors colleges provide students with benefits including scholarships, small learning groups, and increased engagement with faculty and staff members. Many of these things are already a part of the DNA of community colleges,” said Phi Kappa Theta President and CEO Dr. Lynn Tincher-Ladner.

“What I like about the formal establishment of a community college honors college is that it gives students even more of what community colleges are so good at providing—a deep learning experience in a tight-knit community. It also combats the idea of the community college stigma, which implies that community colleges lack the same type of rich college experience that four-year colleges and universities offer,” said Tincher-Ladner.

Benefits for students

Being accepted into the Crawford Honors College will come with some benefits to those students, not just the prestige of being accepted.

Students in the program will receive:

· Full tuition scholarship for four semesters (students must maintain a 3.8 GPA each semester to maintain this, and meet other requirements)

· Interdisciplinary courses and advanced offerings

· Priority registration and advising

· Access to conferences

· Publication opportunities

· Dedicated faculty members

· Full membership in Phi Theta Kappa, an honor society for students of associate degree-granting colleges

Students who qualify

To gain admission to the Crawford Honors College, students must:

· Maintain a 3.8 or higher GPA

· Get an ACT score of 30 or higher

· Be in the top 10 percent of their high school class

· Participate in high school leadership activities

· Compose an excellent admissions essay

· Make a commitment to full-time enrollment at JJC

About honors colleges

Honors colleges within a community education program are not a new concept, and other statewide community colleges have honors programs. In fact, JJC had once offered a similar initiative.

However, the Crawford Honors College differentiates itself from other honors efforts through its “comprehensive and interdisciplinary curriculum designed for high-achieving students, dedicated study and, overall, an immersive community and support system,” Smith said.

Construction of the Crawford Honors College is “part of a broader strategy to build pathways to life-changing education, ensuring that students from all backgrounds have access to the resources and opportunities they need to succeed,” Smith said. “This new initiative is a testament to JJC’s commitment to fostering economic growth and sustainability within the community, further solidifying its role as a leader in educational innovation.”

The Crawford Honors College is the latest effort by JJC to beef up its educational experience.

The 12x12x12 dual credit program allows high school students to earn college credits while enrolled in high school for only $12 per credit, while The Future Wolves K-5 outreach program “Introduces younger students to the possibilities of higher education/community college,” Smith said.